Nebraska · Summer breeder

Western Tanagers in Nebraska

When western tanagers are present in Nebraska, when they nest, which native Nebraska plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4b–5b yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Western TanagerPiranga ludoviciana

Status in Nebraska: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4b–5b

When to expect western tanagers in Nebraska

Western Tanagers are summer residents in Nebraska, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent.

Continental, from tallgrass prairie in the east to the Sandhills and shortgrass in the west.

Nesting in Nebraska

Across Nebraska, western tanagers typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

Hot summers with thunderstorms.

Western Tanagers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Nebraska plants that attract western tanagers

Of the regional native plants we track for Nebraska, these 8 provide food or cover western tanagers use:

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Feeding western tanagers through the Nebraska year

Top foods: Orange halves, Grape jelly (during migration).
In Nebraska's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for western tanagers · Best feeder for western tanagers

Frequently asked

Are western tanagers in Nebraska year-round?

No. Western Tanagers are summer breeders in Nebraska and leave for the winter.

When do western tanagers nest in Nebraska?

Nesting in Nebraska typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13 days.

What native plants attract western tanagers in Nebraska?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Nebraska that provide food or cover for western tanagers.

Western Tanagers in other regions

Alberta Arizona British Columbia California Colorado Idaho Kansas Manitoba Montana Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Northwest Territories Oklahoma Oregon Saskatchewan South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming Yukon

Other backyard birds in Nebraska

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Eastern Screech-Owl Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Black-billed Magpie Pygmy Nuthatch Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe White-crowned Sparrow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Northern Bobwhite Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Savannah Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.